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Capparis decidua
Capparaceae FAMILY

Capparis decidua

Capparis decidua

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitDeciduous Shrub
Growth—

A plant of the arid tropics and subtropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,200 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 30 - 42°c, but can tolerate 5 - 48°c[1]. Mature plants can be killed by temperatures of -5°c or lower, but young growth can be badly damaged at -1°c[1]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 300 - 600mm, but tolerates 150 - 750mm[1]. Requires a sunny position[1]. Succeeds in alkaline, sandy and gravelly soils, thriving on shallow, hard soils and rocky outcrops[2]. Prefers a pH in the range 7 - 7.5, tolerating 6.5 - 8.5[1]. The plant is tolerant of prolonged drought and is an interesting plant by reason of its excellent adaptation to arid conditions[2]. Flowering occurs at the beginning of the dry season[2]. Optimum yields of fruit are around 20 kilos per bush[1]. The trees are amenable to coppicing[2]. Plants have a life span of 40 - 50 years[1].

Propagation

Seed - Cuttings. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Capparis+decidua>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  2. [2]World Agroforesty Centre — http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ ↩︎An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc.
  3. [3]Trees and Shrubs of the Sahel. Their Characteristics and Uses. — von Maydell H. · Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit; Germany · 1990 · ISBN 3-8236-1198-4 ↩︎A well-researched book, usually with more than one photograph of each species and good information on the plant and its uses.
  4. [4]Cornucopia II — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications, California. · 1998 · ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 ↩︎The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.